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Cathedral wins first title since 2004

Published 4:50 p.m. CT May 22, 2015

Cathedral players celebrate after defeating Smithville for the MHSAA Class 1A championship Friday at Trustmark Park in Pearl.(Photo: Keith Warren/Special to The Clarion-Ledger)

PEARL – A year after starting five sophomores and two freshmen and losing in the MHSAA Class 1A Baseball Championship series, Cathedral beat Smithville, 4-2, to sweep the series and win its first state title since 2004 on Friday at Trustmark Park.

Junior Sam Parker retired six of the seven batters he faced in relief, and his 83-mph fastball struck out the last batter to seal the win.

“It’s been a long time coming,” said Cathedral coach Craig Beesley. “We haven’t won one since ’04. We got here last year and came up a little short. So I’m glad to get one this year.

“(Parker) did a great job. He’s come in out of the bullpen every game we’ve played up here the last two years. He came in with runners on first and second and no outs and got out of the inning, and that was the turning point of the game.”

After Micah McCain’s RBI triple to left field tied the game, 1-1, in the top of the third, Cathedral (25-4) answered with three runs in the bottom half of the inning. A check-swing single from Zach Flattmann put runners at first and third with one out when Quinton Logan, the lone senior for the Green Wave, put Cathedral up for good at 2-1 with an RBI single to left field.

Pate Shirley hit into a fielder’s choice when the Smithville second baseman dropped the ball toward the mound, thinking it was the third out, and that allowed another run to score. Then a single and an error on Brock Farmer’s hit plated the final run.

“We didn’t play the way we wanted to defensively,” said Smithville coach Steve Kerr. “We had a few mental mistakes in both games. Kids make mistakes and coaches do, too. Hats off to Cathedral because they have a very solid team all the way around. They were well-coached and well-prepared.”

Smithville (20-14) opened the sixth with a single and hit batter that ended Gabe Smith’s day on the mound. Smith (5-2) pitched five-plus innings for the Green Wave and earned the win. He allowed two earned runs on five hits with three strikeouts and two walks.

Smith was glad Parker earned his first save of the season.

“I was just praying for Sam,” Smith said. “I thanked him so many times when he got those two runners I had on. I’m proud of him.”

Logan and Flattmann each had two hits for Cathedral, while Cole Williams had two for Smithville. Micah McCain took the loss, pitching a complete game. He allowed four runs, three earned, on nine hits with two strikeouts and a walk.

Smith called the championship bittersweet after losing last year’s series, 6-1 and 6-2.

“It feels good to come back and beat Smithville after they beat us in two games last year,” he said. “(They) beat us good in two games last year. It feels good to come out and redeem ourselves.”